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The Collegiate Church
of the Holy Cross and the Mother of Him Who Hung
Thereon.
 |
The early dedication
of the church was to
St Mary, the present dedication -
the Church
of the Holy Cross and the Mother of Him Who
Hung Thereon - came into use only after the 1230's.The
church was extended in the late C13th by the addition
of the Lady Chapel and the Chapter House. Around this
time, Bishop Bronescombe (1258-1280) had added to the
income of the college by making grants of
land and
houses. This permitted the restoration of the number
of canons to 18.
The church became an important regional centre for
prayer and for the making of
offerings (which bought
indulgences). It was also visited by the sick in
search of cures.
A land mine exploded in Newcombes Meadow during the
Second World War and some church windows were blown
in, but otherwise the building was undamaged. Since
the war, the structure of the church has been subject
to normal wear and tear, there are on-going
campaigns to raise funding for the organ
and the bells. (the work has
now been done, but more money is needed to pay for it) |
